Wireless network infrastructure

ABSTRACT

An access point of a network maintains information about data received at the access point from a server accessible via the network and provides to the server the information maintained at the access point. The access point then receives from the server a pavement for an account associated with an operator of the access point.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to pendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/506,378, filed Aug. 18, 2006, whichis a division of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/967,152, filed Sep. 28, 2001, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,369,841.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention generally relates to wireless communication systems and,more particularly, to a business model for expanding a wireless networkarchitecture.

BACKGROUND

Wireless Internet services are available today, utilizing, for example,standard wireless protocols such as Cellular Digital Packet Data, alsoknown as “wireless Internet Protocol” (wireless IP). (See CPDP SystemSpecification and Implementation Guidelines, Release 1.1, Wireless DataForum, Washington, D.C.) CDPD can be implemented in American MobilePhone Systems (AMPS) cellular networks, and thus a wireless Internetservice based thereon could become widely available, but the service isslow (given a data transmission rate of 19.2 kbps) and expensive(approximately 51.40 per megabyte of data transmitted). The AMPS is afrequency division multiple access (FDMA) analog cellular systemdeveloped by AT&T Bell Labs in the 1970s.

Additionally, wireless local area networks (WANs), for example, thosebased on the IEEE 802.11 standard, are emerging. (For furtherinformation regarding the IEEE 802.11 standard, refer to IEEE 802.11,1999 Edition (ISO/IEC 8802-11: 1999) IEEE Standards for InformationTechnology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange betweenSystems—Local and Metropolitan Area Network—Specific Requirements—Part11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)Specifications; IEEE 802.11a-1999: 8802-11:1999/Amd 1:2000(E)), IEEEStandard for Information technology—Telecommunications and informationexchange between systems—Local and metropolitan area networks—Specificrequirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) andPhysical Layer (PHY)>specifications—Amendment 1: High-speed PhysicalLayer in the 5 GHz band; and IEEE 802.11b-1999: Supplement to802.11-1999, Wireless LAN MAC and PHY specifications: Higher speedPhysical Layer (PHY extension in the 2.4 GHz band.)

Increasingly popular 802.11b WLANs currently offer .about.6 Mbps (11Mbps instantaneous peak) data transmission rates over a range of ˜100meters and soon will increase to ˜30 Mbps. Besides the relatively highspeeds achieved by IEEE 802.11 based WLANs, such WLANs generally have noservice fees. However, because of this, there is no incentive foroperators to install IEEE 802.11 networks for public use. Thus coverageis limited to private networks.

In summary, the wireless Internet service available today is anexpensive, fragmented service with limited coverage. To obtainreasonable data transmission rates and service coverage, one couldmaintain a CDPD subscriber account, and carry a CDPD PCMCIA modem card,and an 802.11 WLAN PCMCIA card. A home or office computer would utilizethe 802.11 WLAN PCMCIA card, and the CPDP PCMCIA card for general useoutside the home or office.

Network operators have not embraced development of a wirelessinfrastructure because of the perceived need to acquire sufficientlicensed radio frequency spectrum to build out a nation-wide network, acostly undertaking. With the uncertainties raised by the introduction ofother technologies such as GPRS/EDGE and CDMA-2000, and the recenthistoric of the wireless market, these operators are proceeding slowlyand cautiously.

What is needed is a business model, network architecture and protocolsthat facilitate development and operation of a wireless infrastructureto provide ubiquitous wireless Internet access.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way, of example, and notnecessarily by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughoutthis specification are not necessarily all referring to the sameembodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures orcharacteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments.

A business model, network architecture and software are described forimplementing and operating a world-wide wireless internetworkinfrastructure. The infrastructure includes a distributed wirelesspacket data network based on wireless local area networking (WAN)technology and utilizing high speed (e.g., 1-11 megabits per second datarates), low cost wireless data terminal equipment (e.g., less than$100). However, it is appreciated that wireless technology and dataterminal equipment are not sufficient incentives, on their own, to builda wireless network—also needed are the economic incentives to invest inbuilding a comprehensive network necessary to support a wide variety ofwireless network services.

The invention described herein aligns the interests of wireless basestation operators, Internet service providers (IS PS), and contentproviders, and provides a means by which money flows from end users tocontent providers and then back to the ISPs and wireless base-stationoperators, thus providing an incentive to expand the wireless networkinfrastructure. In this manner, it is expected that, for example,thousands of entities become independent wireless base stationoperators. It is contemplated that some entities, such as individuals,will become base station operators for a cut of the subscriber revenuestream. Other entities, such as hotels and restaurants, will do sobecause their regular customers see wireless Internet coverage as avalue added service. Still others will set up and operate base stationsin their homes and offices simply for personal use. As a side effect ofall of these interests, a wireless network infrastructure will expand tocover areas in which end users want to, and can, use their UTs.

The invention provides an environment for content providers to developwireless services for end users while returning a fraction of thecontent providers revenues, for example, to the network, fordistribution back to the Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and/or theradio base-station operators. It is contemplated that every entity iscapable of being independent of the others, from the wireless radiobase-station operators, the ISPs, to the content providers.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention 100, in whichindependent radio base-station operators build ubiquitous wirelessInternet coverage based on monetary incentives. Prior art approaches toproviding such coverage suffer from scaling problems that limit the rateof growth and adoption—it is a huge task for a single or small number ofentities to build and operate a complete network, market user terminals,bill subscribers, acquire radio frequency spectrum, etc. The inventiondiffers from such other models, e.g., Metricom's now defunct Ricochetwireless Internet approach, mainly by distributing responsibility forbase-station acquisition, siting, and operation to independentbase-station operators in exchange for some portion of end user orsubscriber revenues.

A user terminal (UT) 105 communicates with a server, for example, aserver 130 connected to the Internet 120 and operated by a contentservice provider, such as Amazon.com. The term user terminal, as usedherein, refers to a user device or user equipment. Additionally, a useris a device or application attached to or coupled with the UT, and anend user or subscriber is a person or entity owning or using theuser/UT. The subscriber periodically pays for Internet based services,such as Voice over Internet Protocol (Voice over IP, or VoIP) phonecalls, book purchases, stock quotes, etc., as represented by arc 150 inFIG. 1. A portion of these payments are distributed by the networkinfrastructure to the providers of the various network data carryingservices actually used (denoted by arcs 151 and 152), including theoperator of a wireless base station (denoted by arc 153).

The UT may be anti electronic device having wireless radio frequencycommunication capabilities, or coupled to or with a device having radiofrequency communication capabilities such as a wireless modem.Additionally, software, such as driver software, may be resident in theUT so the UT can operate in a network in accordance with the presentinvention.

For example, the UT may be a desktop or laptop computer, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), cellular telephone, two-way pager, or the like.In one embodiment, UT 105 contains a radio that transmits and receivesInternet Protocol (IP) datagrams or packets to and from the Internet120. The radio can be a PCMCIA card-based wireless modem. The UTcommunicates with server 130 via a wireless radio frequency link 107.

A wireless access point 110, or simply, access point 110, is a “wirelessbase-station that collects packets from and distributes packets to userterminals in its wireless coverage area. The access point typically iscoupled via a link 112 to ISP 115, which in turn, connects to theInternet 120 via link 117. Ideally link 112 is fast and inexpensive(e.g. cable modem, xDSL line, wireless point-to-multipoint, etc.) but itcould also be a simple dial-up connection, depending on the base stationhardware and software, base station location, and amount of traffictransmitted via the base station. A person or business may be the ownerand/or operator of one or more such access points.

The access point 110 can be an IEEE 802.11 base station, capable ofcommunicating with user terminals via the radio frequency link 107 usinga wireless protocol such as IEEE 802.11. While FIG. 1 illustrates asingle UT and a single access point or wireless radio base station, itis appreciated that many base stations and many more UTs are utilized,indeed, desired, to support, for example, a nationwide wireless networkinfrastructure.

In one embodiment, the access point, in addition to providing wirelessservice coverage for UTs in its service area, collects billinginformation, for example, based on data traffic processed by the accesspoint. The access point collects traffic data, that is, statistical dataabout the data traffic, necessary for billing. The access point operatorreceives payments, as represented by arc 153, for providing wirelessInternet services. The payments can be calculated, at least in part,based on the billing information collected by the access point. Theaccess point furthermore may collect billing information on a per UTbasis, so that depending on the type of subscriber account associatedwith the user of the user terminal, the subscriber can be billed, thatis, an accounting for services is posted to the subscriber account, andthe access point can receive a portion of a payment by the subscriberfor the bill, based on the posting. For example, for flat rate service(e.g., a subscriber pays $20/month), the access point need only countbytes, or number of packets, of traffic carried, while for measured rateservice (e.g., a subscriber pays $15/month plus $0.10 per megabyte (MB)over 50 MB per month and $0.05 per MB over 200 MB per month). a bytecount per UT (as identified, for example, by the UT's MAC address) ismaintained. Alternatively, service could be measured in terms of connecttime, for example, per-minutes or per-day connect-time. Connect time maybe the amount of time the user terminal is associated with a WAP, or theamount of time the user maintains a session with a server via aconnection to the server established via the WAP.

The access point includes software that routes IP packets, collectsbilling information, and cooperates with the other network entities todeliver network services. Alternatively, such software may reside in theISP 115. Given the ISP's possible hardware platforms likely are morevaried than the access point's possible hardware platforms, it may be,from a developer's perspective, better to develop router software foraccess points rather than ISP hardware platforms. Ultimately, it iscontemplated that this software will be capable of being executed onmany access point platforms. However, initially it is contemplated torun on a Microsoft Windows98/Windows2000/WindowsNT PC with a wirelessLAN base station coupled thereto.

The router software performs many functions, including requestingauthentication of WLAN MAC addresses as new user terminals requestadmission to the network; keeping track of local, private user terminalswhich may be allowed to use the network free of charge; filteringunauthorized traffic; providing fire-wall services so that public userterminals cannot send and receive packets to machines on a private LAN;coordinating hand-over of a roaming user terminal with other accesspoints; tunneling (encapsulating) traffic to other access points after aroaming user terminal subscribing to full or partial mobility servicehas moved on to another access point; unwrapping (decapsulating) traffictunneled to the user terminal's present access point from the userterminal's original access point; and collecting billing traffic summarystatistics (for example, by user terminal) and storing them for uploadto the billing entity.

In one embodiment of the invention, access point concentration isprovided by a conventional wired Internet Service Provider (ISP) 115.That is, multiple access points access the Internet via the same ISP. Inparticular, each access point 115 is connected to the Internet 120,usually by the back-haul services provided by the ISP. The ISP usuallyhas a high-speed trunk connection 117 to the Internet 120. Thehigh-speed trunk is often a T1, T3, or ATM connection.

Responsibility for customer billing and marketing may or may not bedistributed among Internet-based content and service providers, many ofwhom provide specialized services with specialized terminal equipment(e.g., a VoIP phone). To the extent billing is distributed betweenvarious service providers, the revenue/value chain is more complicated,but in any case, investment is further distributed and the potential forwireless network infrastructure growth is expanded in accordance withthe present invention.

An authenticator 125 is connected to the Internet 120 and providesauthentication services to access points and user terminals. Theauthenticator 125 charges a fee to content service providers, such asthe content service provider operating server 130, for allowingsubscribers access to the network 100. The fee provided theauthenticator, represented by arc 151, is some portion of subscriberpayments to content service provider 130 for providing, among otherthings, authentication services for the content service provider and theprovider's subscribers. Router software, whether executing on thehardware platform of the access point or ISP, queries the authenticatoras to whether to provide packet delivery services for a given user. Theauthenticator, using encryption software, communicates with a userterminal, in particular, software such as driver software, on the userterminal, to authenticate the user. In one embodiment, the authenticatoralso queries the content service provider to verify the subscriber hasadequate credit standing to gain access to the network.

Upon receiving a response from the authenticator, router softwaredecides whether to continue to provide packet routing and deliveryservices for a particular user terminal. If authentication fails, thenservice for the user terminal is unavailable. In one embodiment, theauthenticator also provides a code to the router software for use ingenerating encrypted billing information for that user terminal. Theauthenticator collects traffic data statements from router software, viathe ISP back haul line 117, and stores the statements for use incalculating usage-based payments back to the ISPs and access pointoperators, respectively represented in FIG. 1 by arcs 152 and 153. Inone embodiment, if the authenticator and billing entity functionality isdistributed among different platforms and/or service providers, theauthenticator further uploads the collected billing traffic statisticsto the billing entity hardware/service provider. In one embodiment,communication between the access point and the authenticator isencrypted to prohibit impersonation of the authenticator and/or accesspoint.

The content service provider operating, for example, server 130,provides Internet content for which a subscriber is willing to paymoney, for example, a subscription fee. In the case of a subscriptionfee based service, the content service provider collects periodicpayments from subscribers and pays the network access bills generated bythe authenticator. The authenticator then distributes some portion ofthese revenues, referred to herein as a rebate, back to ISPs and/oraccess point operators based on the services they provided (e.g., numberof bytes transmitted). In some content service provider models novalue-added content is served—the subscriber simply gets an Internetconnection in a fee-for-bytes or flat-rate arrangement similar to aconventional, wired ISP.

The rebates can be tiered based on how much an operator pays for abase-station. Subsidized base-stations might carry a smaller rebate thanones sold without subsidy. In fact, overpayment for base-stations ispossible to provide a means for an operator to invest in the billingentity service provider.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, a Home Location Register (HLR) mayoptionally be utilized in the network 100. The HLR comprises an Internetresident database of user terminal locations. Router software or driversoftware updates records in the HLR as mobile user terminals move aboutfrom WLAN to WLAN, that is, from one access point to another accesspoint, or from one ISP to another ISP. In one embodiment of theinvention, the content service provider may provide the HLR.

In conjunction with the optional HLR, an optional mobility service isavailable to a user terminal. The service provides a fixed IP addressfor a mobile user terminal. A mobility service provider can keep trackof the whereabouts of a user terminal, with reference to the HLR. Theactual implementation of mobility services depends on the underlyingservice. Mobility services provided by a single server can simply followthe user terminal around as the IP address assigned to the user terminalchanges.

An important underlying principle of the wireless network architectureand business model contemplated bar the present invention is that allentities participating in the set up and operation of the network shouldhave something to gain from expanding and improving the network and itsservices. For example, content service providers such as Amazon. Yahoo,Net2Phone, etc., get customers that the content providers can targetwith merchandise, wireless devices, and services of all kinds. A musiccompany can sell songs for a wireless MP3 portable musicdatabase/player. An internet VoIP phone company can sell voicecommunications services. An online bookstore can sell books that asubscriber downloads and reads on a portable electronic device. Onlinemagazines can sell access to their services. A medical monitoringcompany can sell real-time analysis of heart rhythms, possibly detectinga heart attack before it happens. The potential applications arenumerous.

Ubiquitous, high-speed, wireless Internet service opens newopportunities for providing content and services. The applicationcontent service providers increase revenue from a growing user base.Users subscribe because of all the available content. Furthermore, theapplication content service providers market wireless devices andservices that build the user base fueling demand for the network.

Subscribers get access to a wide range of goods and services madepossible by high speed, ubiquitous wireless Internet service coverage. Asubscriber gets “tetherless Internet access” near any access point. Thenumber of installed access points increases until wireless Internetservice coverage becomes ubiquitous. As WLAN technologies improve, datarates increase. However, the subscriber need not wait for a full networkdeployment to perceive significant value. The subscriber can purchase apersonal access point and have tetherless Internet access in their homeor office, which is the key to getting the wireless networkinfrastructure in place.

As mentioned above. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide back-haulservices from wireless access points to the Internet. A rebate scheme isstructured such that the ISPs are paid for the data traffic that theyrtransport between the Internet and access points, however calculated.Thus, it is in the interest of ISPs to encourage the installation ofmore and more access points providing coverage and increasing wirelessInternet usage.

In one embodiment, ISPs also provide fixed IP addresses and mobilitymanagement services for users who wish to maintain a continuous Internetconnection while roaming between WLANs. For services that require thesecontinuous connections, (e.g., VoIP services) content service providersmay contract with ISPs to provide fixed virtual connections to mobileusers. This fixed IP address and mobility management service performsthe same function as an HLR in a cellular telephone network, which arewell known in the art, and thus not discussed further herein.

It is contemplated that some access point operators will install basestations just to get wireless Internet service coverage where needed fortheir own use-as subscribers. A typical example of this scenario wouldbe a home user who buys an access point to get coverage in their home.Back-haul services would be provided through a cable modem, xDSL line,or even dial-up modem. Depending on the range of the WLAN technologyembodied in the base station, the home user might incidentally beproviding service to their neighbors, for example, in apartmentbuildings. Another example is businesses that install base stations toprovide tetherless Internet access within their facility. Securityfeatures in the access point router software would provide differentrouting services for company employees versus “foreign-n” users. Forexample, employees may be allowed to mount directories on a local fileserver, but foreign users would not see any local servers.

However important these incidental access point operators are toproviding ubiquitous wireless Internet service coverage, the rebatescheme is structured to ensure an incentive to become an access pointoperator. Airports, hotels, coffee shops, libraries, bookstores,shopping malls, etc., will install access points for the revenuegenerated by rebate payments. This financial feedback is what drivesoperators to provide service at locations desired by users and to splitwireless service areas to provide adequate capacity.

Eventually, it is envisioned that the subscriber base might be largeenough that establishments such as coffee shops, bookstores, and hotelsprovide coverage on their premises as a service to their customerssimply to maintain competitiveness in drawing customers.

The clearest incentive is to the authenticator/billing entity, which isthe primary collector of the subscriber generated revenue stream, with aportion of this revenue provided to access point operators and IS PS asa rebate. The authenticator, or authentication service provider,maintains the keys to access network 100. No user terminal can access aforeign WLAN without permission from the authenticator. Theauthenticator also collects billing information (for example: VoIPtelephone call detail records) from the ISPs for each user terminalsession. This billing data is provided to content service providers foruse in billing the user. The content service provider pays theauthenticator to keep subscribers in the authenticator's database,thereby ensuring continued access to the network 100.

Manufacturers are presented with the opportunity to sell base stationsand user terminals. Access points are not sold to a small group of largeoperators—instead, access points are high volume consumer electronicsdevices. Likewise, user terminals need not be tied to specific serviceproviders. They can be sold directly to consumers and retailers.

Any number of content service providers can utilize network 100 and thebusiness model described above to provide applications to subscribers. Abrief description of some possible content services follows.

The simplest service is a general Internet Protocol (IP) packet deliveryservice. The UT in this case may be a WLAN card in a laptop PC. Theservices provided to the subscriber include various Internet applicationprotocols, including HTTP (world wide web browsing), telnet, FTP, etc.The content service provider has no infrastructure other than billing,takes call detail information from the Authenticator, debits thesubscriber's billing account, and sends an account statement, forexample, via electronic mail, to the subscriber. The bulk of thesubscription fee is transferred (as designated by arc 151 in FIG. 1) tothe authenticator and then distributed to the ISPs (arc 152) and accesspoint operators (arc 153). A typical subscription fee schedule might be:

-   -   0 to 20 MB/month@$19.99/month, plus $1/MB for >20 MB/month

Of this, for example, 80 percent is transferred to the authenticator,and then 80 percent of that is transferred to the ISPs.

Low mobility cellular telephone service, similar to Personal HandyphoneSystem (PHS) in Japan, can be readily provided by VoIP enabled WLAN userterminals that have the appearance of cell phones. These user terminalscooperate with application software resident either at their home ISP orat the content service provider's servers. This software coordinates thedelivery of compressed voice packets between the user's terminal and apublic switched telephone network (PSTN) gateway 135 nearest thetermination point of the phone call. The authenticator charges thecontent service provider per MB of voice traffic sent from and receivedby the user's user terminal (i.e., phone). The content service providerbills the user, for example, based on this usage data or, for example,based on more detailed information about call sources and destinations.

An additional application contemplated by the invention is an electronicbook service that comes with an electronic book reader device withstorage for several books and a display. Using the book reader device, asubscriber can visit an electronic book reader service web site, browsebook content select for purchase and purchase book content, and downloadbook content for reading when out of wireless range (e.g. on anairplane, in a car) or even have a printed copy delivered to your house.The book reader service provider and the original author are secure inthe knowledge that the downloaded book cannot be copied and furtherdistributed without physically breaching the electronic book device.

An MP3 service would operate in a manner very similar to the electronicbook service, but the information content is music rather than prose.The user terminal would have real-time access to the libraries of musiccontent. Control of the physical user terminal device and protocolsallows the content service provider to be secure in the knowledge thatthe music downloaded will not be illegally redistributed.

One example of an implementation of an embodiment of the inventionfollows. A subscriber accesses an online bank via a user terminal, UT1,and purchases credit for 1000 units of Internet access for some amountof money, say $10. The units may represent any measure of Internetaccess, for example, bandwidth, time, quality of service, or somecombination thereof. The online bank mints a certificate, N1, for thesubscriber by generating a 512 bit random number, storing it in thesubscriber's database record at the online bank along with an identifierfor UT1, UT1_ID, and the number of units purchased, in this example,1000 units. (The random number that is the certificate is arepresentation of the units purchased by the subscriber.) The randomnumber is then encrypted and sent to the subscriber.

At some point the subscriber then accesses the Internet. An accesspoint, AP1, receives a page from the UT1, and as part of the process ofsetting up a session, queries the subscriber for a deposit againstfuture data traffic with UT1. The subscriber responds by sending thecertificate to the online bank with a request that some number of units,say 2 units, be reallocated to AP1.

The online bank receives the certificate N1 from the request andverifies that UT1 indeed owns 1000 units, mints a new certificate, N2,representing 998 units for UT1, and another certificate, N3,representing 2 units for AP1, and provides the certificates to UT1 andAP1, according to the same process as described above. After both UT1and AP1 acknowledge receiving their change (998 units) and payment (2units), respectively, certificate N1 is removed from the subscriber'sdatabase, and certificate N2 is added in its place. The certificate N3is added to the access point's database record maintained at the onlinebank as well. Alternatively, the certificate N3 is not needed; 2 creditsare simply added to AP1's account balance at the online bank. At the endof a billing cycle, e.g., the end of the month, access points receive acheck for their credit balance.

Although the invention has been described in the detailed description aswell as in the Abstract in language specific to structural featuresand/or methodological steps, it is to be understood that the inventiondefined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to thespecific features or steps described. Rather, the specific features andsteps are merely disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing theclaimed invention. It will, however, be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from thebroader spirit and scope of the present invention. The presentspecification and figures are accordingly to be regarded as illustrativerather than restrictive. The description and abstract are not intendedto be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise formsdisclosed.

The terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limitthe invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in thespecification. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determinedentirely by the following claims, which are to be construed inaccordance with the established doctrines of claim interpretation.

1. A method, comprising: maintaining, at a wireless access point (WAP)coupled to a network, information about use of wireless user terminalsthat access, via the WAP, content provided via a server coupled to thenetwork; providing to an operator of the server, billing information forthe user terminals accessing the server, based, at least in part, on theinformation maintained at the WAP; and crediting a payment responsive tothe billing information to an account associated with an operator of theWAP for providing transmission of data between the server and at leastone of the wireless user terminals.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe WAP comprises a IEEE 802.11 access point.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the network comprises a worldwide network of interconnectednetworks commonly known as the Internet.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein said maintaining information comprises maintaining, at said WAP,information about data packets received a the WAP from the server andforwarded by the WAP to at least one wireless user terminal.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the information about data received at theWAP from the server comprises a count of bytes of data received at theWAP from the server.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the informationabout data received at the WAP from the server comprises a connect timeduring which at least one of the wireless user terminals is associatedwith the WAP to receive data from the server.
 7. The method of claim 4,wherein the information about data packets received at the WAP from theserver and forwarded by the WAP to at least one wireless user terminalcomprises a count of bytes of data received and forwarded using a MediaAccess Control address associated with a wireless user terminal.
 8. Amethod, comprising: posting to an account maintained at a wirelessaccess point (WAP), an accounting of services provided by a server to awireless user terminal via the WAP; receiving a payment from the WAP inresponse to the posting; and providing, from an operator of the server,a portion of the payment to an account associated with an operator ofthe WAP.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing, from the operatorof the server a portion of the payment to an account associated with anoperator of the WAP comprises: providing from the operator of theserver, a portion of the payment from the account to a billing entity;and providing from the billing entity a portion of the payment to theaccount associated with an operator of the WAP.
 10. The method of claim8, wherein the billing entity and the server comprise the same devicecoupled to the network.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the server isoperated by a content service provider and the billing entity is aseparate device operated by a network service provider.
 12. The methodof claim 8, wherein the WAP comprises an IEEE 802.11 base-station accesspoint.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the network is a network ofinterconnected networks commonly known as the Internet.
 14. The methodof claim 8, wherein posting to an account associated with the wirelessuser terminal an accounting of services provided by the server to thewireless user terminal comprises obtaining a count of bytes of datatransmitted from the server and received at the WAP for transmission tothe wireless user terminal and calculating a payment for servicesprovided by the server to the wireless user terminal based on the count.15. The method of claim 8, wherein posting to an account associated withthe wireless user terminal an accounting of services provided by theserver to the wireless user terminal comprises obtaining a connect timethat indicates the duration of the user terminal's association with theWAP while connected to the server.
 16. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising authenticating a user associated with said wireless userterminal as a condition for providing said wireless user terminal accessto said network via the WAP.
 17. An apparatus, comprising: means formaintaining, at a wireless access point (WAP), information aboutwireless user terminals that access a server via the WAP; means forproviding to the server billing information for the user terminalsaccessing the server, based on the information maintained at the WAP;and means for receiving from an operator of the server, a payment for anaccount associated with an operator of the WAP.
 18. The apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the WAP comprises a IEEE 802.11 access point.
 19. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the network comprises a worldwide networkof interconnected networks commonly known as the Internet.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for maintaining, at a WAP of anetwork, information about data received at the WAP from a servercomprises means for maintaining, at said WAP, information about datapackets received at the WAP from the server and forwarded by the WAP toat least one wireless user terminal.
 21. The apparatus of claim 17,wherein the information about data received at the WAP from the servercomprises a count of bytes of data received at the WAP from the server.22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information about datareceived at the WAP from the server comprises a connect time duringwhich the user terminal is associated with the WAP to receive data fromthe server.
 23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information aboutdata packets received at the WAP from the server and forwarded to atleast one wireless user terminal comprises a count of bytes of datareceived at the WAP from the server and forwarded by the WAP to thewireless user terminal using a Media Access Control address associatedwith the at least one wireless user terminal.
 24. An apparatus,comprising: means for posting to an account maintained at a wirelessaccess point (WAP), an accounting of services provided by a server to awireless user terminal; means for receiving at the server, a paymentfrom the account in response to the posting; and means for providingfrom the server, a portion of the payment to an account associated withan operator of the WAP.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein saidmeans for providing from the server a portion of the payment to anaccount associated with an operator of the WAP comprises: means forproviding from the server a portion of the payment from the account to abilling entity; and means for providing from the billing entity aportion of the payment to the account associated with an operator of theWAP.
 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the billing entity and theserver comprise the same device.
 27. The apparatus of claim 24, whereinthe server is operated by a content service provider and the billingentity is a separate device operated by a network service provider. 28.The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said means for posting to an accountassociated with the wireless user terminal an accounting of servicesprovided by the server to the wireless user terminal comprises means forposting to an account associated with the wireless user terminal anaccounting of services provided by the server to the wireless userterminal in accordance with billing information about the wireless userterminal.
 29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the WAP comprises anIEEE 802.11 access point.
 30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein thenetwork comprises a network of interconnected networks commonly known asthe Internet.
 31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said means forposting to an account associated with the wireless user terminal anaccounting of services provided by the server to the wireless userterminal comprises means for obtaining a count of bytes of datatransmitted from the server and received at the WAP for transmission tothe wireless user terminal and calculating a payment for servicesprovided by the server to the wireless user terminal based, at least inpart, on the count.
 32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said meansfor posting to an account associated with the wireless user terminal anaccounting of services provided by the server to the wireless userterminal comprises means for obtaining a connect time that indicates theduration of the user terminal's association with the WAP while connectedto the server.
 33. An apparatus, comprising: an authenticator to enableaccess to a network through a wireless access point (WAP), saidauthenticator being configured to: receive information from the WAPabout a wireless user terminal that accesses a server via the WAP;provide to the server, billing information for the user terminal based,at least in part, on said information received from the WAP; and receivefrom the server, information regarding payment for an account associatedwith an operator of the WAP.
 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein saidWAP comprises a IEEE 802.11 access point.
 35. The apparatus of claim 33,wherein the network comprises a worldwide network of interconnectednetworks commonly known as the Internet.
 36. The apparatus of claim 33,wherein said information received from said WAP comprises informationabout data packets received at said WAP from said server and forwardedto at least one of said wireless user terminals.
 37. The apparatus ofclaim 33, wherein said information received from said WAP comprises acount of bytes of data received at said WAP from the server.
 38. Theapparatus of claim 33, wherein said information received from said WAPcomprises a connect time during which a user terminal is associated withsaid WAP to receive data from the server.
 39. The apparatus of claim 36,wherein the information about said data packets comprises a count ofbytes of data received at said WAP from the server and forwarded by saidWAP to the at least one of said wireless user terminals using a MediaAccess Control address associated with the at least one of said wirelessuser terminals.
 40. A network, comprising: an authenticator configuredto: post to an account maintained at a wireless access point (WAP), anaccounting of services provided by a server to a wireless user terminalvia the WAP; and receive notification of payment from said server inresponse to the posting of the accounting of services.
 41. The networkof claim 40, wherein the server is operated by a content serviceprovider.
 42. The network of claim 40, wherein said authenticator isfurther configured to post to an account associated with the wirelessuser terminal an accounting of services provided by the server to thewireless user terminal in accordance with billing information about thewireless user terminal.
 43. The network of claim 40, wherein the WAPcomprises an IEEE 802.11 access point.
 44. The network of claim 40,wherein the network comprises a network of interconnected networkscommonly known as the Internet.
 45. The network of claim 40, whereinsaid authenticator is further configured to: obtain a count of bytes ofdata transmitted from the server and received at the WAP fortransmission to the wireless user terminal; and calculate a payment forservices provided by the server to the wireless user terminal based, atleast in part, on the count.
 46. The network of claim 40, wherein saidauthenticator is further configured to obtain a connect time thatindicates the duration of the user terminal's association with the WAPwhile connected to the server.